Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Superb. Daring. Eloquently written. These are all words to describe Wench: A Novel by first time novelist, Dolen Perkins-Valdez.

Wench is the story of four black enslaved women who become friends over a series of summers spent with their masters who vacation at Tawawa House in the free territory of Ohio.

Lizzie, Sweet, and Reenie are regulars at Tawawa House, and they don't ponder the question of freedom often; but when Mawu comes to the resort and starts talking about running away, things change. Running away means leaving behind everything they hold dear--friends and families in the South. It's a difficult decision despite their circumstances.

When several tragedies occur at Tawawa House, these friends learn a great deal about themselves and the emotional and psychological aspects of the Peculiar Institution whose end is just beginning.

You simply cannot read Wench without being touched by these women's stories. While the book focuses more on Lizzie's life, her relationship with her master, Drayle, and her relationship with Mawu, the Tawawa House and what occurs there binds all four women together, making their stories inseparable.

Perkins-Valdez does an excellent job of blending fact and fiction in this story set between the years of 1842 and 1854, a time in which Harriet Tubman would escape slavery and start The Underground Rail, where she gains the title of "Moses" for leading her people to freedom.

The reader, while perhaps unable to truly identify with the plight these women face, still is easily able to sympathize with Lizzie, Reenie, Sweet, and Mawu. Some of them have already seen their families sold off and hold little hope of ever seeing their loved ones again. As a woman and mother, the violation they endure, how they are dehumanized, and how they are forced to put their desires aside so that one day their children might live free, drew me into their lives.

Lizzie's story is perhaps the most heartwrenching, because the decisions she makes are for reasons the reader might not be able to understand.

Wench is a powerful, extraordinary piece of work. It has already gained the attention of Oprah, and it wouldn't surprise me if we saw this book adapted to the small or big screen. It would also not surprise me if Wench garners Perkins-Valdez numerous awards.

Margret Scott finds herself attracted to enigmatic and charming Samuel Lowe. It does tax her heart, however, that she must keep him a secret from her family. Samuel's duties have him working for both sides in the war between the colonists and the British soldiers, and Margret is not always sure where Samuel's loyalties lie.

As her interest in the political environment surrounding New Castle increases, Margret continues to secretly meet with Samuel when he can briefly escape from his posts. He promises Margret can trust him, and she promises him that she does. But can deceptive promises be trusted? Can a relationship built on such uncertainty survive?

In the third book of the Delaware Brides Series, Miller sets this love story against the backdrop of the American Revolution. As with Quills & Promises before it, the pains of a growing nation during a time of war play a large role in the development of the story. In this book, however, I find that Miller did an even finer job of relaying the events of the day through dialogue, internal thought, and narrative than she did in the previous installment.

Miller's strength has always been her characters, and that is no different in Deceptive Promises. Marget, whose mind was once filled with fashions coming over from England, gains an interest in current events and the war efforts due to her secretive relationship with Samuel. On the other hand, Samuel, finds himself fighting his desire to be with Margret while performing his duties. And while Samuel knows where his loyalties lie, his actions sometimes leave Margret feeling uncertain, making it impossible for her to admit her growing fondness for Samuel to her family. If she can't understand him, how could they?

The Delaware Brides Series follows three generations of the same family. Had I known that at the onset, I would have purchased all three books together and read them in order. However, since these all read well as stand-alones, you'll miss nothing if you read them out of order. Some of the main characters in the first novella, play minor roles in the second, and some of those also appear in the third, so even though the love stories are isolated, it's nice to follow along with the family's history.

My one tiny criticism is that I don't care for the cover art of this book. The woman on the front cover appears much older than Margret would be for the story. We meet her at age fifteen, and though years pass during this story, the cover woman's look appears too old. In addition, her eyes are closed, as if awaiting Samuel's kiss, and it just gives her this air of swooning, which didn't seem to match Margret's overall personality, especially as things progressed throughout the story.

That aside, if you want to be drawn into a touching inspirational love story set during the American Revolution, Deceptive Promises by Amber Miller is the book for you.

Note: The Delaware Brides Series has recently been repackaged by the publisher and is now sold as a three-in-one story collection titled, Liberty's Promise (Romancing America). The author's name has also been updated to Amber Miller Stockton, to reflect her married name. This three-in-one is available at a suggested retail price of $7.97.

Raelene Strattford had come to America with her mother and father, who yearn for a better life. When a tragic accident takes both her parents from her, Raelene feels forsaken by the same God who has promised never to leave her.

Gustaf Hanssen's admiration for Raelene is obvious. After a failed attempt to court her, he is unwelcomed in her life. When Gustaf promises her dying father that he will take care of her, Gustaf finds himself in the unenviable position of being reminded by the angry Raelene of how little he means to her, and how his God can do nothing for her now that she has been left alone in a strange land.

As Raelene longs for the days back in England, she works alongside Gustaf on the farm to fulfill her father's dreams, scorning Gustaf at every turn. Can God reach through Raelene's pain and self-centeredness and give her the love that awaits?

In this powerful first book in her Delaware Brides Series, Miller brings together two characters from distinctly different backgrounds, who are forced to deal with each other because of promises they have made to the same man--Raelene's father. Though he has been rejected by Raelene in past, Gustaf does not deny the dying man's request to care for his daughter, which makes him an admirable hero from the start. Raelene's continued mistreatment of Gustaf turns him into a sympathetic character, and the reader finds herself hoping that Gustaf wins Raelene's heart. His faith in God never wavers, and it is through his faith that Gustaf is able to endure Raelene's disposition toward him and the difficult task of finding a husband for her, while still wishing she would see him as something more than a farm boy.

Raelene, on the other hand, has the reader's sympathy right from the start. Here she is, a young woman all alone in a strange land, tied to a promise made to her dying father that she will tend to the farm and turn it into what he dreamed about. Not an easy task for a young woman dealing with the sudden loss of her parents. Smartly, however, Miller uses Raelene's treatment of Gustaf, her past refusal of him, and her anger at God to lessen the sympathy of the reader. This makes it all the more thrilling when Raelene's heart begins to soften toward Gustaf.

Set in 1739, Miller's historical details provide the reader with a time and place for this moving love story. I would easily read this one again if I had the time.

Historical inspirational romance at its best, Promises, Promises by Amber Miller should be on your "to be read" list if you enjoy this genre.

March 31, 2010……With the proliferation of deaths due to domestic violence, something has to be done, something different, and something effective. Susan Murphy-Milano, a 20 year veteran of family violence will be releasing her newest book, “Time’s Up” A Guide on How to Leave and Survive Abusive and Stalking Relationships, on April 12, 2010.

“Time’s Up” guides the victim towards safety by showing them the unseen pitfalls of leaving a violent relationship and how to navigate around them. “Time’s Up” also has explicit details and instructions how to fill out an “Evidentiary Abuse Affidavit”, one of the unique things that Murphy-Milano has created and used through the years in high danger cases which has saved the lives of many.

Susan Murphy-Milano is a specialist in family violence and works nationally with domestic violence programs, law enforcement and prosecutors providing technical and consulting services in “high risk” domestic violence and stalking related cases. Her principal objective is to intervene before a victim is seriously injured or killed. In 1999, Susan was inducted into the Women’s Hall of Fame for her work on behalf of Women’s Rights. In 2001, Susan received the Women with Vision Award from the Illinois Bar Association.

Author of “Defending Our Lives” Doubleday books and “Moving Out Moving On” when a relationship goes wrong, Susan is host of The Susan Murphy Milano Show and is also a contributor to “Time’s Up!” and “Women In Crime Ink” online. With co-stars, Dennis Griffin and Vito Colucci, Susan will be participating in the new television show, “Crime Wire” which will examine cases in which the investigations have left questions unanswered and possible criminal activity unexposed.

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Stolen artifacts, the Santa Clara/Virgin River flood, a snoopy newspaper reporter, and mysterious events begin to unfold with Anasazi Intrigue.

When a devastating flood wipes out homes in a small town, residents are shocked by the news of a possible poison spill that also kills many of the fish and neighbor's pets. The people don’t know what to think or do, until Julia, the town's newest reporter, jumps into action and begins her investigation. Quickly Julia realizes the story is much bigger and more dangerous than she thought. As information unfolds, Julia and her husband find themselves on the run, trying to save their lives while finishing the story of a lifetime. She never realized that being a reporter could be so dangerous. With artifacts, dead fish, a devastating flood, and miscreants, John and Julia have their hands full.

In Anasazi Intrigue (ISBN: 978-1-58982-587-1), Clarke creates a story based upon an independent, educated, and strong woman character. Suko’s Notebook Reviews said of Clarke’s writing: “Linda Weaver Clarke is outstanding at presenting the characters' thoughts.”

There are two subjects discussed in this novel: The Santa Clara/Virgin River Flood and stolen artifacts. The mystery of the Anasazi Indians boggles the minds of many archaeologists. Ancient dwellings, petroglyphs, and pottery found in Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico are fantastic and part of Anasazi history. When an ancient ruin is discovered, it doesn’t take long for thieves to take it apart. Archaeological thievery is becoming more and more of a problem every year.

The second subject brings out what really happened during the flooding in southern Utah. Lost homes can be replaced, but it’s impossible to replace precious treasures that had no value to anyone but the owner, such as photos and memories of the past. The stories of hope, charity, and little miracles seem to uplift others and have a wonderful effect on people during a crisis such as this. Clarke’s novel brings out what really happened in St George, Utah but the mystery is just beginning.

About the Author:

Linda Weaver Clarke travels throughout the United States, teaching a “Family Legacy Workshop,” encouraging others to write their family history and autobiography. Clarke is the author of the historical fiction series, A Family Saga in Bear Lake, Idaho, and the new mystery series, Anasazi Intrigue: The Adventures of John and Julia Evans.

It's not often that I purchase books on writing craft. Gasp! I know, every writer should study to improve her craft. I'm just one of those practice makes perfect kinds of people. I would rather do it than read about it.

I mentioned in My Journey to Publication - Part 2 post that when I first started out, I purchased several books on the craft of writing, most of which remain unread. So, how can I justify buying more books--especially to my poor hubby who told me it was okay to stay home and fulfill my dreams?

Well, here's how I am justifying it to myself. I've heard a lot about Donald Maass over the years. While I was searching for potential agents to submit my first novel manuscript to, he was at the top of the list. This manuscript sits in a drawer of my filing cabinet right now (a story for a whole different post). I also have several writing friends who have read his book, Writing the Breakout Novel, and at least one friend who is making her way through his Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook.

Sunday, March 28, 2010

I'm feeling very pleased with myself. I've gotten some reading done, and even though I added a few titles to my TBR pile since the last time I posted on March 15th, I'm feeling better about it.

Since my last post, I've reviewed 13 titles, and 4 more sit on my desk awaiting for me to write the reviews.

The books I've read since March 15th appear in bold.

My TBR Pile

Cabal of the Westford Knight by David S. BrodyReunion by Therese FowlerRose of the Adriatic by K.M. DaughtersThe Last Child by John HartAmerican Lion by Jon MeachamFear the Worst by Linwood BarclayUndone by Karin SlaughterShadow of Betrayal by Brett BattlesThe Spies of Warsaw by Alan Faust

The Target by J.P. HauptmanPrairie Tale by Melissa GilbertWench by Dolen Perkins-Valdez ****

Melinda and the Wild West by Linda Weaver-ClarkeThe Case of the Mystified M.D. by A. K. ArenzDaughter of Liberty by J.M. HochstetlerNative Son by J.M. HochstetlerExiles on Main Street by Lisa KleinholzAsking for Murder by Roberta IsleibDeadMistress by Carole ShmurakMother's Day Murder by Leslie Meier

Write from the Heart by Leslea NewmanPromises, Promises by Amber Miller ****Deceptive Promises by Amber Miller *Copper and Candles by Amber MillerEscape in Passion by Shiela StewartMercy in Passion by Shiela StewartThe Strand Prophecy by J.B.B. WinnerThe Judge Who Stole Christmas by Randy SingerForever Christmas by Christine Lynxwiler

The Saphire Flute, Book One: The Wolfchild Saga by Karen E. Hoover (TC&TBC)Rocky Bluff P.D. series by F.M. Meredith: Bad Tidings, Final Respects, Fringe BenefitsDeputy Tempe Crabtree series by Marilyn Meredith: Deadly Trail, Deadly Omen, Intervention, Unequally Yoked, Wing Beat, Calling the DeadMurder on the Low Down by Pamela Samuels YoungPreaching to the Corpse by Roberta IsleibSilenced Cry: A Sam Harper Mystery by Marta StephensWishin' and Hopin' by Wally LambSet Apart: A 6-week Study of the Beatitudes by Jennifer Kennedy Dean

Friday, March 26, 2010

After serving in Bosnia, Army Specialist Richard T. Davis reenlisted in time for the invasion of Iraq. He would make it through the bloody, savage battle known as the Midtown Massacre and return on July 12, 2003 to Fort Benning, Georgia. Richard looked forward to reuniting with his parents soon in St. Charles, Missouri.

That reunion never happened.

When Richard's father, a career army officer, received a call stating his son was AWOL, he knew something was terribly wrong. After wading through months of red tape, an official investigation into Richard Davis's disappearance was opened. In November 2003, Richard's remains were discovered in a small patch of woods in Columbus. He had been viciously murdered and his body set on fire. Four members of Richard's platoon were arrested for the crime.

This is the story of his parents' nightmare to discover the truth of what happened to their son; a nightmare that seems to have no end.

In this thoroughly researched account, author Cilla McCain traces the events in the case of the murder of Army Specialist Richard Davis. Using court transcripts, personal interviews, and police records, McCain's journey to assist Remy and Lanny Davis in uncovering the truth behind their son's horrific murder and the cover-up that followed, provides the reader with a disturbing look into today's military.

I finished Murder in Baker Company a while ago. It has taken me many weeks to sit down and write this review. The picture of today's military that is portrayed in this book is disconcerting at best. I doubt anyone wants to believe the events as they have been written about in this book are true. Our soldiers are the good guys. And let me point out what I feel is very important here, the author does not take away from any of the good that our military has done with this account. McCain comes from a large army family, and therefore, she takes great pains to share what her research into the murder of Richard Davis and the subsequent trial indicated, without damning the military as a whole.

What Murder in Baker Company brings to light are issues that are of importance to military families and civilians. Due to being spread too thin is the military accepting applicants that might have been turned down in the past? Are psychological issues overlooked or treated with medication that is taken without proper instructions or monitored to keep the soliders performing? Is treatment for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder stigmatized? Are gang members making their way onto our barracks?

This book immediately called to mind the disappearance of Lance Corporal Maria Frances Lauterbach from Camp Lejeune, North Carolina on December 14, 2007. Lauterbach was eight months pregnant when she disappeared. The charred remains of Lauterbach and her unborn child were found in a fire pit in Corporal Cesar Armando Laurean`s backyard. Lauterbach had once accused Laurean of rape.

Some of the more troubling aspects of the Richard Davis case revealed in this book are:

* The time that elapsed before the army opened an official investigation into Davis's disappearance

* The lack of solid information provided to Lanny and Remy Davis about their son's murder

* A November 2003 letter typed on Fort Benning stationery and signed "Men of Baker Company" that was mailed to members of the local media and legal communities of nearby Columbus, Georgia from unknown soldiers just back from America's march through Baghdad, pleading for help

* The theft of Richard Davis's personal belongings

* The disappearance of Davis's camera in light of certain comments about how he had messed up or had seen something

* The investigation into the shooting deaths of three Iraqi soldiers on April 11, 2003 and the questionable actions of the Batallion Commander

The list could go on, but the point is that McCain makes a compelling case that forces us to wonder who is responsible for what happened to Richard Davis. Could his murder have been prevented? Mark Shelnutt, a criminal defense attorney, who represented Specialist Douglas Woodcoff, who was accused in Davis's murder, believes the tragedy never should have happened, and that McCain's telling of this story will save lives. He says as much on the back cover.

While McCain has managed to put together an account that is as engaging as a novel, the tragedy is that this isn't fiction. Richard Davis lost his life, and no one, not even his parents, has learned everything about what happened the night Richard was murdered.

I highly recommend this book. It's difficult to read, but it's well worth your time.

Thursday, March 25, 2010

So, where did we leave off on our little journey? Oh, yeah, I talked about my drama filled moment when I decided to embark upon a writing career. I was real bold, telling my journal instead of people. But, I digress...

The next thing I did was spend money. I am female, after all. Okay, well, not really too female because I actually hate shopping; but Amazon has made it so easy to shop without having to deal with driving and crowds, that I can handle shopping from time to time--though the UPS man must hate me by Christmas. I swear I should at least include him on my Christmas card list.

Anyway, I ordered some books on the craft--many of which I haven't read yet. Gasp! Well, there really is a reason for that. I ended up enrolling in Long Ridge Writing Group's Breaking into Print program.

I can't say my husband was too supportive of me spending hundreds of dollars on an unknown commodity; but he supported my desire to become published and stay home with our children, which by this time numbered three. While the school couldn't guarantee I would be published by the the time I graduated from the program, the number of students who were published by their graduation date led me to believe this was a good choice.

It was!

My instructor, Karen O'Connor, provided invaluable insight into my writing and the market. She also provided Tip Sheets that I still refer to from time to time. The course included a workbook and two writing craft books (I actually read those). While the Breaking into Print program allows you to focus on articles or short stories, I decided to focus on articles. Nonfiction had been my preferred genre for years, and I figured that's where I would be spending most of my time.

I sent out submissions while I worked through the program. After several months of rejections, the quickest of which came from Good Housekeeping only a week after I submitted it (ouch!), a friend I met through Long Ridge asked me to write a series of six articles on time management and organization geared toward writers.

My first article appeared at Destiny3Fiction, an online magazine, in November 2005. A month later I graduated from Long Ridge.

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Back in the early days of Pump Up Your Book Promotion, I used to send an email at the end of each book tour to those bloggers who hosted my clients. It was my small way of thanking them for their efforts in promoting our books.

As Pump Up has grown, however, I find myself sometimes struggling to coordinate one month's tours while promoting the current month's tours, blog, write, volunteer, and be a wife and mother. I've gotten away from sending these emails to our blog hosts. Not because I appreciate them any less; on the contrary, with the tremendous growth Pump Up has experienced since I came on in 2007, I appreciate their efforts even more because we keep them busy. Sending those emails has just gotten almost impossible when juggling double the amount of clients I used to when I started.

While checking tour stops today, I noticed that several of my hosts took the time to add extras to their posts: excerpts, trailers, tour banners, etc. Pump Up Your Book Promotion has some of the best, if not the best, blog hosts in the business. These bloggers really give it their all when promoting our clients.

So, for the record, I want all of our tour hosts to know that we appreciate what you do. Here's a big thank you to all of our blog hosts: the ones who have been with us for years and the new ones who contact us expressing interest in reviewing our clients' books on an almost daily basis.

We couldn't do this without you and you make this job a real pleasure!

In this informative and helpful book from the Good Things to Know line from Turner Publishing, readers will learn what autism is, what does and doesn’t cause autism, what to do after your child is diagnosed with autism, and so much more.

Autism advocate and award-winning author Chantal Sicile-Kira, uses her over 20 years of experience as the parent of an autisic child and a professional in the field, to create a book that will help you, your loved ones, and your friends learn more about autism and how to create a better environment for your child.

The book discusses how to determine your child’s educational needs; how to gain a better picture of your child; emotional and financial effects of autism on the family; why holidays are difficult for families with autism, and many other topics that will be invaluable to families with members who have been diagnosed.

The author’s passion for this subject is obvious from the beginning. She truly wants people to understand what autism is and what it isn’t. With this one tiny book, Sicile-Kira has provided parents with the basic tools they will need before and after the diagnosis.

To learn more about this book and its author, please visit the author’s website. This book will be released on March 25th.

Saturday, March 20, 2010

I'm a big fan of the Muse Online Writers Conference, which takes place every October. Lea Schizas, my friend (and even if she doesn't know it, mentor) is the brains behind the Muse Conference. Lea, along with the other coordinators of this totally online, completely free writers conference, do a spectacular job each year of helping their fellow writers hone their craft over 7 days of workshops and online chats.

I presented a workshop at the 2008 Muse Conference, but I really wanted to focus on me last year, so I took a variety of workshops geared toward the areas that needed improvement.

One of those workshops was titled "Finding Your Writing Voice Through Personal Essays" given by the very talented Ann Hite, who has published more than sixty stories.

This is one of the personal essays I wrote for that workshop. I don't remember all the particulars about the assignment, but I am supposed to be at a family reunion. A relative I haven't seen for years asks me how things are going. This is my response:

"You Asked for It" by Cheryl Malandrinos

“Obviously no one told you how dangerous it is to ask me about my favorite subject—me.” I smirk, waiting for the feigned laughter to die down.

I feel the tickle in the back of my throat as knowing eyes look upward and disappear behind their lids. Someone could have saved us from this torture if this knucklehead hadn’t asked Miss Conceited to get up and tell us what the hell she’s been doing for the past twenty years.

Yeah, I know that’s how they feel, which is why it makes it all the better that poor Uncle Ray really stuck his foot in it by asking. Clearing my throat, I glance upon the crowd, fifty people I have nothing in common with except for blood, and if I could change that I would. Maybe I really was adopted. One can hope.

“Well, you’ve already met my kids—John, Katherine, and our baby, Sarah.” Oh, she hates it when I call her that. ‘I’m six years old, Mom,’ her defiant pout reminds me.

“After Sarah was born I became a stay-at-home mom and decided to fulfill my dream of becoming a published author.”

Aunt Alice leans over to Uncle George and whispers something into his ear. I know it’s nothing nice. Maybe something along the lines of, ‘Who ever told her she could write?’ By now I’m shifting my weight back and forth, something I’ve done ever since I had kids. “I write for a monthly newsletter and my first children’s book will be out next year.” This gets some nods, but they’re not about to call their friends to tell them about their famous relative.

I start pacing so that the rocking doesn’t make me look like I’m holding in an ocean of pee. Sweat trickles down my back. When did it get so darn hot out here? “I review books at my blog and work in book promotion.”

Cousin Tom has his index finger jammed into his back teeth and he’s digging away. For crying out loud, get a tooth pick!

“Other than playing wife and mommy, that’s about it.” I shrug and plaster a smile across my face.

Hands offer half-hearted claps from the few people still paying attention. As I slink back toward the table where my husband and the girls are nibbling on the last few potato chips, Linda, a cousin on my father’s side, saunters up to me. The tip of her turned up nose embellished by the way her green eyes glare downward.

“You should call your father. He doesn’t know what you’ve been up to lately either.” Her lips purse into a thin line, awaiting my response.

“Maybe I will.” I march off and plop into the empty chair next to Sarah. Who am I kidding? There will be peace in the Middle East before I ever call dear old dad.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Now that things are moving along with my children's book, I thought it might be interesting to discuss a little bit of my journey to publication. I'm about six years late in starting this endeavor, but I promise not to bore you with too many details.

We'll do this in parts, so that it doesn't become a book in and of itself. My intention is to end it with the day Little Shepherd Boy is released from Guardian Angel Publishing, but we'll play that part by ear.

I have been an avid reader all my life. With my youngest daughter, who has been trying to read since she was old enough to pick up a book, I can get a glimpse of what I might have been like back then. For some reason I've blocked out most of my childhood (just kidding, it's only wishful thinking).

Pretty much I was that annoying student who loved learning and looked forward to writing book reports. Yes, the other kids hated me.

Prior to the death of my mother, I began writing short stories. Once she passed away, I used my writing as a type of therapy to help me deal with losing her and being forced to live with a father I barely knew. Dad worked and for several years went to school while I was growing up, so he wasn't around too much.

Life got busy for me. The four years of high school--though they seemed like torture at the time--passed quickly, and soon I graduated. Three months later I became pregnant with my son. My writing was put on hold for many years while I raised my son and worked several jobs to make ends meet--which they usually didn't. I tried to complete my degree through correspondence school, but I had so little time that I really couldn't make it work.

I began my first full-length manuscript around 1997. My sister and I collaborated on it. Amazingly, my sister has always been even busier than me; though I never thought that was possible.

Parenting and working took up most of my time, and I was still trying to edit as I go back then, so needless to say (so why am I saying it then?) this manuscript didn't go far very fast. In fact, I would abandon it for several years, until I married and became a stay-at-home mom in 2004.

Here is what I wrote in my journal on February 3, 2004, the day I officially decided to pursue my writing dreams:

"I have made a decision today. A decision that I have struggled with, thought about, and stewed over forever. That decision, this choice, will either make me truly happy or it will kill me. Today I will begin my writing career."

Aren't I so dramatic. :)

It hasn't killed me yet, and I'm happy, so I guess I know how this might pan out. That's enough for today, kiddies. Hope you enjoy the ride!

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

It’s early morning and I’m sitting here wondering where you are, hoping you’re all right.

A fight, ended by a slap, sends Elizabeth out the door of her Baton Rouge home on the eve of her fifteenth birthday. Her mother, Laura, is left to fret and worry—and remember. Wracked with guilt as she awaits Liz’s return, Laura begins a letter to her daughter, hoping to convey “everything I’ve always meant to tell you but never have.”

In her painfully candid confession, Laura shares memories of her own troubled adolescence in rural Louisiana, growing up in an intensely conservative household. She recounts her relationship with a boy she loved despite her parents’ disapproval, the fateful events that led to her being sent away to a strict Catholic boarding school, the personal tragedy brought upon her by the Vietnam War, and, finally, the meaning of the enigmatic tattoo below her right hip.

Absorbing and affirming, George Bishop’s magnificent debut brilliantly captures a sense of time and place with a distinct and inviting voice. Letter to My Daughter: A Novel is a heartwrenching novel of mothers, daughters, and the lessons we all learn when we come of age.

Read an Excerpt from Letter to My Daughter!

Chapter One

March 22, 2004

Baton Rouge

Dear Elizabeth,

How to begin this? It’s early morning and I’m sitting here wondering where you are, hoping you’re all right. I haven’t slept since you left. Your father says there’s no sense in phoning the police yet; you’re probably just blowing off steam, and you’ll be back as soon as you run out of money or the car runs out of gas, whichever comes first. I shouldn’t be so hard on myself, he says. What with the way you spoke to me last night, it would take more forbearance than anyone’s capable of not to react the way I did, and besides, it wasn’t even that much of a slap.

Still, I blame myself. I keep seeing the look on your face as you brought your hand up to your cheek—the shock, the hurt, then the cold stare that bordered on hatred. When I heard the back door close in the middle of the night, I thought to myself, Well. There she goes. But it was only when I was standing on the driveway in my nightgown watching the taillights of my car disappear down the street that I understood just how bad this has become.

I’ll try not to insult you by saying I know how it feels to be fifteen. (I can see you rolling your eyes.) But believe it or not, I was your age once, and I had the same ugly fights with my parents. And I promised myself that if I ever had a daughter, I would be a better parent to her than mine were to me. My daughter, I told myself, would never have to endure the same inept upbringing that I did. I would be the perfect mother: patient and understanding, kind and sensible. I would listen to all my girl’s problems, help her when she needed it, and together we would build a bridge of trust that would carry us both into old age. Our relationship—it seemed so simple then—would be marked by love, not war.

Well. Things don’t always turn out the way we want them to, do they? Sometimes when I’m yelling at you for coming in late, or criticizing your choice of friends, or your taste in clothing, or your apparent indifference to anything having to do with family or school or future, I hear my mother’s voice coming out of my mouth. My mother’s very words, even. In spite of all my best intentions, I find myself becoming her. And you, of course, become me, reacting the same way I reacted when I was your age, revisiting all the same hurts that I suffered, and so completing one great big vicious circle of ineptitude.

I want to stop this. I’ve thought and thought, and I’m not sure how to go about it, except maybe to make it a rule to do everything that my mother didn’t do and not to do everything that she did—a crude way to right the wrongs, no doubt, and not altogether fair to my mother, who on occasion could be a decent person.

But one thing I’ve realized that my mother never did—and this was perhaps her greatest failing as a parent—the one thing she never did was to give me any good honest advice about growing up. Oh, she gave me plenty of rules, to be sure. She was a fountain of rules: sit up straight, keep your legs together, don’t run, don’t shout, don’t frown, don’t wear too much makeup or boys will think you’re a tramp. But she never told me what I really wanted to know: How does a girl grow up? How does a girl make it through that miserable age called adolescence and finally get to become a woman?

This was something I thought I might be able to help you with. I always pictured us sitting down together and having a talk, mother to daughter. You’d take your earphones out, I’d turn off the TV. Your father would be out running errands and so we’d have the whole afternoon to ourselves. In this talk, I would begin by telling you, as straightforwardly as I could, the story of my own adolescence. My intention would be not to shock or embarrass you, but to try and show you we’re not all that different, you and I. I do know what it’s like to be your age: I was there once, after all. I lived through it. And hearing the mistakes I made, you might learn from them and not have to repeat them. You could be spared my scars, in other words, so that the life you grow up in might be better than the one I had. Today, I thought, would be a good time for us to have this talk, your fifteenth birthday.

As nice as it sounds, that probably isn’t going to happen, is it? I think I made sure of that last night when I slapped you and drove you from our home. I could hardly blame you now if you don’t want to listen to me. It’ll take more than apologies for you to begin to trust me again.

So what I’ve decided to do is that while I’m sitting here waiting for you to return, I’ll write down in a letter everything I’ve always meant to tell you but never have. Maybe a letter is a poor substitute for the talk I always wanted us to have. But it’s a start at least, and I hope you’ll find it in yourself, if not today then sometime in the future, to accept it in the same spirit that I write it. Think of it as my birthday present to you—something that my mother never told me, but that I’ll endeavor now with all my heart to tell you: the truth about how a girl grows up. The truth about life.

I’m on my third cup of coffee now and there’s still no sign of you. Your dad’s out back mowing the grass like nothing ever happened. I’m not going to get all panicky, not yet. It’s still early, and I intend to keep my mind from imagining the worst. But I do hope you’ll be back in time to spend at least some of your birthday with us. I do hope you’re okay, Liz.

Read Reviews of Letter to My Daughter!

“Letter to My Daughter is a first novel of immense power. It makes George Bishop a novelist to keep your eye on. As a father of five daughters, reading the book made me wish I’d written a letter to my own girls, describing my own failures and dilemmas as an American teenager.”—Pat Conroy, bestselling author of South of Broad

"Sometimes it is the simplest book that make the most impact...I think that this is a timeless classic that covers every struggle that mothers and daughters seem to encounter, no matter which era it occurs."- Bookhounds

"This was a great read!"- Simply Stacie

“Letter to My Daughter is both touching and encouraging."- Thoughts in Progress

George Bishop holds an MFA from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, where he won the department’s Award of Excellence for a collection of stories. He has spent most of the past decade living and teaching overseas in Slovakia, Turkey, Indonesia, Azerbaijan, India, and Japan. He now lives in New Orleans.

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Soul is the essence of African American culture–the ingredient that makes it tick. In The Big Book of Soul: The Ultimate Guide to the African American Spirit, writer and herbalist Stephanie Rose Bird takes us on an amazing journey into the ancient traditions of mysticism, spirituality, and mythology that lie beneath this uniquely African American experience. Bird explores the healing, magic, and divination traditions of ancient African earth-based spirituality, and traces how these practices have evolved in contemporary African American culture. Along the way she offers recipes, rituals and resources that you can use to heal your life.

Many people have complimented the book cover for my new book, The Big Book of Soul: the Ultimate Guide to the African American Spirit: Legends & Lore, Music & Mysticism, Recipes & Rituals (Hampton Roads Publishers 2/5/2010). I must admit when I first saw the JPG it took my breath away.

I knew who the artist was right away. It was the African American artist from South Carolina, Jonathan Green. What I didn’t know until visiting his website at www.jonathangreenstudios.com is that we share an important mission. Green’s passion is creating and collecting cross-cultural art that exhibits the themes of work, love, belonging and spirituality. My writing is cross-cultural in nature, with a particular focus on the African diaspora (Africa, Americas, Caribbean and parts of Europe where Black people live). The Big Book of Soul is built around the theme of spirituality but also touches on the topics of love for family, belonging to community and family and features various occupations such as midwifery and farming.

Green is driven by the desire to give greater visibility, wider positive perceptions and recognition of the accomplishments of people of color. His work reflects our contributions to various areas including health, the environment and the arts. Green’s desire to bring greater visibility of our contributions in those specific areas is something that he and I share.

Overall, his lithograph on the cover, called “The Reception” is vibrant; pulsating with life and color. The people depicted are Black but they show a wide variety of skin tones, builds, personal tastes and personalities. It is a gathering of Black folks in all of our variety. Often, it is when we get together as a community or extended family, our strong sense of spirituality bubbles to the surface. We get in touch with soul through singing and dancing or through prayer. Also, you can evidence some of the old ways if you observe and talk to the elders present at such gatherings. You can clearly see in “The Reception” that there are folks represented from every age group. The backdrop of the scene is a lovely, old tree and newly planted crops. Similarly, the backdrop of The Big Book of Soul is populated with ancient spiritual wisdom, healing plants and medicinal trees—they form the foundation of the book. Moreover, gatherings such as receptions are opportunities for sharing our stories including mythology and folklore. The Big Book of Soul also incorporates mythology, folklore and storytelling. I can’t think of a more fitting book cover design for this book than Jonathan Green’s “The Reception.”

Stephanie Rose Bird, is the author of five books: The Big Book of Soul: the Ultimate Guide to the African American Spirit: Legends and Lore, Music and Mysticism and Recipes and Rituals, (2010, Hampton Road Publishers), A Healing Grove: African Tree Medicine, Remedies and Rituals ( 2009, Chicago Review Press), Light, Bright, Damn Near White: Biracial and Triracial Culture in America and Beyond (2009, Praeger Press) Sticks, Stones, Roots and Bones Hoodoo, Mojo and Conjuring with Herbs (June 2004, by Llewellyn Worldwide Publishers) and “Four Seasons of Mojo: An Herbal Guide to Natural Living (Llewellyn, 2006). Bird writes regularly for www.naturallycurly.com as resident herbalist. She has been a professional member of the Handcrafted Soap Maker’s Guild, for whom she wrote a column “Soap Worts: Useful Herbs for Soap Makers. Bird is a member of: the American Botanical Council’s Herb Research Foundation; the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy and the International Center for Traditional Childrearing. Her writing on herbalism, natural healing, complimentary therapies, herbal lore, goddesses, rituals and ceremonies are featured in “Sage Woman Magazine” “The Beltane Papers,” “International Journal of Aromatherapy,” “Aromatherapy Today,” “The Oracle,” “Herb Quarterly,” “Herb Companion,” “The Llewellyn Magical Almanac,” “The Llewellyn Herbal Almanac” “Enlightened Practice,” E-pregnancy and “Spell-a-Day” among others.

Stephanie Bird is a hereditary intuitive and healer specializing in positive energy work and spiritual cleansing using African plant wisdom. Her website is located at www.stephanierosebird.com and you can follow her on twitter at Twitter@stephanierosebi.com

Monday, March 15, 2010

In case you're wondering what my TBR Pile looks like lately, it's a mess. So many good books are coming out and I just need to read them.

I've read 13 books since my last update on February 28th, and written 11 reviews, between this blog and The Children's and Teen's Book Connection. All the titles in bold are those I've read since the last update. Along with the new titles I took on, that brings me up to 68 books in my TBR pile.

Oh man, I sure hope vacation time comes soon so that I can catch up!

Older titles

Cabal of the Westford Knight by David S. BrodyReunion by Therese FowlerRose of the Adriatic by K.M. DaughtersThe Last Child by John HartAmerican Lion by Jon MeachamFear the Worst by Linwood BarclayUndone by Karin SlaughterShadow of Betrayal by Brett BattlesThe Spies of Warsaw by Alan Faust

The Target by J.P. HauptmanPrairie Tale by Melissa GilbertWench by Dolen Perkins-Valdez

Melinda and the Wild West by Linda Weaver-ClarkeThe Case of the Mystified M.D. by A. K. ArenzDaughter of Liberty by J.M. HochstetlerNative Son by J.M. HochstetlerExiles on Main Street by Lisa KleinholzAsking for Murder by Roberta IsleibDeadMistress by Carole ShmurakMother's Day Murder by Leslie Meier

Write from the Heart by Leslea NewmanPromises, Promises by Amber MillerDeceptive Promises by Amber MillerCopper and Candles by Amber MillerEscape in Passion by Shiela StewartMercy in Passion by Shiela StewartThe Cutting by James HaymanThe Strand Prophecy by J.B.B. WinnerThe Judge Who Stole Christmas by Randy SingerForever Christmas by Christine Lynxwiler

The Saphire Flute, Book One: The Wolfchild Saga by Karen E. Hoover (TC&TBC) (*) **Rocky Bluff P.D. series by F.M. Meredith: Bad Tidings, Final Respects, Fringe BenefitsDeputy Tempe Crabtree series by Marilyn Meredith: Deadly Trail, Deadly Omen, Intervention, Unequally Yoked, Wing BeatMurder on the Low Down by Pamela Samuels YoungPreaching to the Corpse by Roberta IsleibSilenced Cry: A Sam Harper Mystery by Marta StephensWishin' and Hopin' by Wally LambSet Apart: A 6-week Study of the Beatitudes by Jennifer Kennedy Dean

...And Night Falls by Tommie LynMain Street: Tis' the Season by Ann M. Martin (TC&TBC)Rhett Butler's People by Donald McCaigAlphatudes: The Alphabet of Gratitude by Michele WahlderThe Big Picture: Essential Business Lessons from the Movies by Kevin Coupe & Michael Sansolo

A Very Dangerous Woman: Martha Wright and Women's Rights by Sherry H. Penny & James D. Livingston* Rock Stars: The Rise, Fall, and Rise of 80's Glam Frontmen into Pop Culture by David S. Grant (**)* Anathema! America's War on Medicine by Dr. Michael Pryce, M.D.Capturing Karma by K.M. DaughtersRabbit: Chasing Beth Rider by Ellen C. MazeChasing Lincoln's Killer by James SwansonMurder in Baker Company by Cilla McCain ** (****)

Calling the Dead: Deputy Tempe Crabtree series by Marilyn Meredith41 Things to Know about Autism by Chantal Sicile-Kira (TBC & TC&TBC)35 Things Your Teen Won't Tell You So I Will by Ellen Pober Rittberg (TBC & TC&TBC)33 Things To Know About Raising Creative Kids by Whitney Ferre (TBC & TC&TBC)The Lightkeeper's Daughter: A Mercy Falls Novel by Colleen Coble (Amazon Vine)Raccoon Tales by Joy DeKok (TC&TBC)Tibetan Tales from the Top of the World by Naomi C. Rose (TC&TBC)Marie and Her Friend the Sea Turtle by Nicole Weaver (TC&TBC)

Newly added titles:

An Axe to Grind by F.M. MeredithAxe of Iron: Confrontation by J.A. HunsingerStraight Talk for Teenage Girls by Annette Fuson ** (****)The Power of Your Child's Imagination by Charlotte Reznick, PhD **The Raindrop by Brian D. McClure (TC&TBC) **Animals Go by Emily Bolam (TC&TBC)Animals Talk by Emily Bolam (TC&TBC)This Little Piggy and other favorite action rhymes illustrated by Hannah Wood (TC&TBC)Are You Ready for Bed? by Jane Johnson (TC&TBC)The Very Greedy Bug by Steve Smallman (TC&TBC)The Three Horrid Little Pigs by Liz Pichon (TC&TBC)The Bear with Sticky Paws Won't Go to Bed by Clara Vulliamy (TC&TBC)The Best Pet Ever by Victoria Roberts (TC&TBC)One there was a house, a house that was a...Home by Alex T. Smith (TC&TBC)Bella: The Birthday Party by Mandy Stanley (TC&TBC)Bella: The Fairy Ball by Mandy Stanley (TC&TBC)The Three Dimensions of Character by Larry BrooksThe Wildcat's Burden: Iskander Book Four by Chris Hoare

Coming in the Mail:

Faith and Finances: In God We Trust, A Journey to Financial Dependence by multiple authors **

Stay tuned to The Book Connection because things are going to be busy around here, especially as we get closer to the release of my first children's picture book, Little Shepherd Boy.

Saturday, March 13, 2010

The second book in the Axe of Iron series picks up where the first book, Axe of Iron: The Settlers, left us. It is the late summer of 1008, and while the settlement at Halfdansfjord is flourishing, the uncounted numbers of indigenous peoples--the Naskapi, Anishinabeg, and Haudenosaunee Indians--have violently resisted the arrival of these pale-skinned invaders.

An ill-fated hunting trip, a blending of cultures, friendship with a tribe of Naskapi, the capture and eventual acceptance of a young boy of the Northmen by his Haudenosaunee captors, and an event that seems destined by the gods, leave the Northmen's fate hanging in the balance.

Can their developing relationship with the native tribes pave the way for the Northmen to survive in Vinland?

As with Axe of Iron: The Settlers--which we reviewed here--Hunsinger uses his wealth of knowledge and years of study to bring the Northmen and their adventures to life. Halfdan Ingolfsson and his second in command, Gudbjartur Einarsson, continue to lead the settlers in Halfdansfjord to what they hope is a prosperous life in Vinland.

Readers, who will recognize many of the names and characters from the first novel, are treated to watching these people develop and change as they meet the challenges of their lives in this new place; a place that is filled with hope and danger.

In Confrontation, we begin to see the blending of cultures as Thora of the Northmen marries Deskaheh the Haudenosaunee, who had once been captured by the Northmen, but who is now considered a member of their tribe. While Halfdan and Gudbjartur hope commitments such as these will allow the indiginous tribes and Northmen to better understand each other, they cannot let their guard down for a single moment. Hunsinger captures well, the dangerous situation in which the Northmen find themselves on a daily basis.

The Foreword provides important information for the reader, in addition to sharing a brief synopsis of what happened in Axe of Iron: The Settlers. Also included is a Glossary of Norse and Native Terminology to define terms that readers might find unfamiliar.

I found that as soon as I finished Confrontation, I was eager to continue reading the story of the Northmen. Luckily, Hunsinger also includes a short excerpt of the next Axe of Iron novel, Assimilation, which appears to be just as exciting as the previous two installments.

Readers of historical fiction are sure to be drawn in by this sweeping epic of the Northmen.

It's easy to put successful writers up on pedestals. It's also easier and safer to believe that they have something you don't. At least that way, if you get a rejection letter you can admit that you're not Robert Frost, Stephen King or J.K. Rowling.

But as Halsey points out, were all the same. It's how you approach the challenges in your life that make the difference. You have to ask yourself:

* Do I want to let fear of failure keep me from even trying or do I want to be the one who reaches for the stars?

* Do I want to be the person who criticizes what she does or do I want to be the one who believes in herself?

* Do I want to be the one who allows rejection to stop me from pursuing my dream or do I want to be the one who allows rejection to motivate me to try again?

Never forgot that you are the one who has the power to make your dreams come true. Use that power. Think of how you will rise up to meet the challenges along the way. Be determined to succeed!

In The Big Picture: Essential Business Lessons from the Movies, readers are taken on a journey through over sixty movies, where co-authors Kevin Coupe and Michael Sansolo share the important business lessons to be gleaned from well-known and not-so-well-known movies through the decades.

From action and adventure movies like Jaws and Rocky to comedies like Babe and Tootsie, from classics like Citizen Kane to date movies like Bull Durham and Sex and the City, readers will discover or rediscover movies in a new and meaningful way. Even biopics such as Schindler's List (one of my favorites), and dramas such as Bottle Shock can provide lessons everyone can use to inspire solutions in their business life.

Here is one of my favorite excerpts from the book:

Take 1 - Action/Adventure

Jaws (1975)

Denial is Never a Good Idea

Rated L LeadershipRated P Planning

by Kevin Coupe

Jaws is one of the best thrillers ever made, but it also serves up an example of business behavior that is almost inevitably fatal: denial.

“I don’t think either one of you are aware of our problems,” Mayor Vaughn (Murray Hamilton) says to Chief of Police Martin Brody (Roy Scheider) and Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) at one point in the movie. “I’m only trying to say that Amity is a summer town. We need summer dollars. Now, if the people can't swim here, they'll be glad to swim at the beaches of Cape Cod, the Hamptons, Long Island...”

Sure, Amity needed summer dollars. But what Vaughn ignored was the fact that the town also needed tourists that weren't worried about being torn limb from limb.

Vaughn’s reluctance to close the beach is an example of the type of short-term thinking that should be avoided in the business world. Vaughn is working under the premise that if the town of Amity closes the beaches because of concerns about shark attacks, it will scare away the tourists on which the town depends. Which is true. But Vaughn ignores the cold reality that if tourists find out that there is a shark in the water and the town allowed people to go swimming, not only will they stay away in droves, they’ll also lose trust in the town’s management and never come back.

Businesses have to engender trust in their customers. Violate that sense of trust by ignoring the obvious facts—or even just the likely trends—and the repercussions can be both serious and long lasting.

Mayor Vaughn obviously never learned from the management at Johnson & Johnson, who, when faced with evidence that Tylenol had been tampered with in 1982, immediately pulled the product off the shelves. The Tylenol executives figured that they could survive the short-term hit, but would never survive the backlash if they denied the seriousness of the problem. When a new tamper-proof version of Tylenol came back to store shelves, there remained a sense of trust on the part of the consumers because Johnson & Johnson played it straight.

To be fair, although Mayor Vaughn generally is painted as the bad guy in Jaws because he ignores the sharp-toothed reality swimming just off shore, almost everybody is in some sort of denial. While this denial drives the plot forward, it also offers a primer on how to not deal with serious or even not-so-serious business situations.

Think about it. Quint, the great shark hunter played to crusty perfection by Robert Shaw, continues to chase the enormous great white shark with a small boat and just two crewmen. That’s world-class denial.

Hooper, the oceanic expert with a passion for sharks, shows a sense of denial several times when he gets into the water with the shark. Sure, he’s getting into an anti-shark cage, but the evidence is pretty strong that it isn’t going to be nearly “anti” enough.

“You go inside the cage”? Quint asks. “Cage goes in the water, you go in the water. Shark's in the water. Our shark.” And then he sings: “Farewell and adieu to you, fair Spanish ladies. Farewell and adieu, you ladies of Spain. For we've received orders for to sail back to Boston. And so nevermore shall we see you again.”

About the only main character who doesn’t seem to be in denial is Chief Brody, and even he has a moment of self-delusion when he’s asked why, if he is scared of the water, he lives on an island. “It’s only an island when you look at it from the water,” he says.

Yeah, right.

But it also is Brody who has the movie’s primal moment of clarity. It’s when he’s shoveling bait into the water and gets his first close-up look at the shark’s massive body, black eyes, and very, very sharp teeth.

“I think we’re going to need a bigger boat,” he says.

Truer words never have been spoken.

In business, as in Jaws, denial can get you eaten for lunch.

If I had to provide an opinion on this book in only three words, they would be, "I loved it!" Now, you have to keep in mind why this is so amazing--I'm not much of movie fanatic. I can count on one hand the number of movies I've seen in the theater over the past decade. Being self-employed and working from home, I rarely turn the television on, never mind sit down to watch a movie.

The Big Picture got me to thinking about movies, though. What have I been missing that I could use as a writer, online publicist, and editor? What business lessons might I have found in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull had this book been available back then? Are there lessons to be learned even in movies I didn't really care for?

Kevin Coupe and Michael Sansolo have done what many entrepreneurs suggest--turned their passion into something more. Once you've read this book cover to cover, you won't be able to deny they love movies. But more than that, you'll discover that these two men, who started as newspaper reporters and then moved into writing for business magazines, understand what it takes to compete in business today and in the future.

The best part is that this isn't your typical regurgitated lessons for business leaders type of book. It's fun. It's engaging. The conversational style and the authors' obvious passion for what they're doing, make this a book that is impossible to put down. Every type of business from the smallest to the largest will find something--and probably many somethings--in this book that they can immediately apply and use to make a difference.

Every business leader should have a copy of The Big Picture: Essential Business Lessons from the Movies on their desks and refer to it often.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Joining us today is Michael Sansolo, co-author of The Big Picture: Essential Business Lessons from the Movies. We'll review this title tomorrow, but for today, Michael is going to be talking about a subject near and dear to my heart--innovation. As someone who has been accused of trying to "fix things that ain't broke", when I came across this topic in The Big Picture, I just knew I wanted the authors to address it.

"The World of Innovators" by Michael Sansolo

Finding the road less taken is rarely the problem in business. There are countless people with good ideas, countless new directions out there to be considered.

Rather, the problem is how often these groundbreaking ideas or individuals are ignored or beaten back into submission. And for individuals and companies, the big question is how to create a climate where the new idea can be properly considered and evaluated.

In The Big Picture: Essential Business Lessons from the Movies, co-author Kevin Coupe and I examine a wide range of business lessons that can be gleaned and easily shared from many popular movies. Not surprisingly, the topic of breakthrough ideas comes up time and again. It’s presented artfully in Tucker: The Man and His Dream, a dramatic telling of a real life innovator who was beaten down by the forces of convention.

We find it in the delightful children’s movie Babe, as we watch a little pig defy conventional rules to become a champion sheepdog of all things.

And most tellingly we find it in Amadeus, a fictionalized tale of Mozart’s trials and tribulations in Vienna.

Mozart, as even the most casual music fan knows, was a boy genius whose music is familiar to virtually all of us. But in Amadeus, we watch Mozart struggle to bring his new ideas for melody, opera, and more to the stage while the forces of convention do everything possible to thwart his innovations.

Although Vienna is a wonderfully musical city, Mozart tries to elevate the level of performance. He brings innovation in hopes of making the music better. Yet time and again he runs into rules set up to thwart him. Even his small attempts to build financial stability are undermined, dropping the genius composer into depression and early death.

The movie gives the innovators out there a great lesson, too. Mozart’s ideas are clearly wonderful, but for the elite of Vienna, they are uncomfortable. The composer never takes the time to build a base of support or to educate his audience. Instead he plows forward, insisting he knows best. Yes, the elites could have listened better, but Mozart shares some of the blame in his failure.

He has an enemy in his rival Antonio Salieri, who uses considerable skill to convince the court that Mozart is the lesser of the two composers. Mozart never learns how to engage powerful allies to accept his innovation.

The business lesson from Amadeus is laid clear for us again and again. Too often in business, great ideas and innovations struggle against the forces of convention. So the road less taken remains untaken or, worse yet, the innovator moves in an entirely different direction.

One stunning business example comes from the roots of Walmart, now the largest company in the United States. In the 1960s, Walmart founder Sam Walton was a store manager for Ben Franklin stores. He had a plan to create a new type of store and gleefully presented that plan to his company. In short, he was told to go back to work.

Walton gambled instead, leaving Ben Franklin and opening his first Walmart. Some 50 years later we know how that battle worked out. Had Ben Franklin management been open to the radical idea and the road less taken, today it might be the company in every town in America. The business world is littered with such stories of chances not taken and innovation unseen. The stories range from the record company that passed on the young Beatles to the computer giant IBM passing on the chance to buy out a young Bill Gates and his fledgling software company called Microsoft.

Not every new idea is a great one; not every innovation becomes the next Walmart or Microsoft. But occasionally those ideas come up, and great companies know when to listen and when to travel the road less taken.

With wonderful style and soaring music, Amadeus reminds us of the challenges of being an innovator…and the sadness that befalls the world around them when the road less taken is left abandoned.

Michael Sansolo has traveled around the world one supermarket at a time, yet stopped to climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Great Wall of China, and Pikes Peak. A native New Yorker, Sansolo is a consultant and frequent speaker for the food retail industry, and is a contributing editor and weekly columnist for MorningNewsBeat.com, a daily newsletter on the retail industry.

Sansolo was the senior vice president of the Food Marketing Institute and was editor-in-chief of Progressive Grocer magazine.

Sansolo, his family, and his very annoying beagle live in the suburbs of Washington, DC.

Movies are magical. They can release us from the stress of everyday life. But movies also contain valuable lessons to improve the way we do business.

In their entertaining new book, The Big Picture: Essential Business Lessons From the Movies, authors Kevin Coupe and Michael Sansolo show how to use the stories in movies to solve problems in business. From The Godfather to Tootsie, from The Wedding Singer to Babe, the authors use more than sixty of their favorite movies to teach important lessons about branding, customer service, leadership, planning, ethics, and innovation.

Readers learn how to use stories from the movies to communicate clearly with employees, clients, and customers.